NASCAR looking for suggestions on how to make the racing better, in Tuesday meetings with Cup teams
NASCAR's Mike Helton: the Boss. And this dog will bite (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
CONCORD, N.C.
The shape of Tuesday's big meeting between NASCAR officials and Sprint Cup teams is slowly becoming clearer: And it is now sizing up as a day-long series of small meetings, rather than any full townhall scene.
Each of NASCAR's top Cup operations will have its own individual face-to-face with NASCAR executives, to discuss ideas and raise suggestions about what NASCAR could do to make Cup racing more compelling – for better TV ratings and for better ticket sales.
All Cup team owners and their drivers are expected to attend the sessions at NASCAR's nearby R&D center.
And TV cameras and media are expected to camp outside the center for post-meeting interviews….though it's unlikely that any of the participants will willing to offer much insight on-the-record.
No specific agenda items have been listed, but one hot topic is expected to be the car-of-tomorrow, which has become an expensive engineering problem for crews, particularly small teams without the hefty engineering and computer expertise.
The Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski-Ryan Newman crash at Talladega could be another issue. NASCAR has said little about what it might want to do to deal with that issue of flying race cars, though Newman himself has said several times it is a major issue that needs to be attacked.
The Indianapolis Brickyard 400 race, July 26th, may be another issue for discussion, because that track's slightly-grooved surface has been a cheese-grater for NASCAR tires, despite numerous tests by Goodyear. A significant part of the problem is that stock cars tend to skate through the tight corners, unlike Indy-cars, which have much more aerodynamic downforce and can thus better grip the track. Lightening NASCAR stockers is one possibility that has been raised; however it would take a significant drop in weight to make any significant difference, and the 25-pound cut so far proposed is unlikely to make much difference. Changing the aerodynamics of the nose of these stockers has been proposed too, even to the point of lengthening the nose, and/or altering the chassis suspension enough to allow the cars to 'travel' with shocks and springs.
Other items that teams may well bring up: the costs of racing, though one team manager, only half-jokingly, said "If NASCAR were going to be doing any serious talking here about cutting costs, they wouldn't have invited drivers."
Typically when NASCAR invites drivers to a meeting, the gist of it is a basic 'shut up and drive,' as last summer at Michigan, or to discuss safety issues, such as at Richmond two years ago, when drivers were herded out of the track for a 'secret' meeting.
Driver salaries are a large part of a major team's operation budget. For example, the two most popular drivers in the sport, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., made more than $30 million each last season.
NASCAR's testing ban may also be a topic. The big teams may well be in favor of keeping that ban, because it has effectively locked in their edge. But then smaller teams would likely be hard-pressed to keep up financially if NASCAR – as it had planned last summer – were to open up testing.
However, the timing of these meetings may be somewhat suspect – because Fox' David Hill, head of that network's sport operations, has according to sources been doing his own informal but detailed interviews with various teams and drivers. Hill, though he might publicly deny it, is reported to have taken some of the ideas raised in those discussions to NASCAR execs himself.
Fox TV's NASCAR ratings have been in a slump this season, down more than 10 percent.
Those sluggish ratings not only make it more difficult for TV network salesmen to get good advertising dollars, the ratings issue also worries team owners who have to negotiate sponsorships.
Now when I'm looking for good advice, this is the first man I go to -- Jeff Burton (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Nationwide vs. Sprint Cup
I've been talking to alot of NASCAR fans and we all agree that the Nationwide Series just open to up and coming drivers. Rookies in the cup series should be allowed to drive both Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series thier first two yrs. Allowing Veteran Cup drivers to drive in both races is like the NFL team going back and playing the college level and competing for the National Championship. I'm not saying they can't race in the Nationwide just not for the points championship. The money they can race for. I love NASCAR and I would like to see competion between the up and coming drivers. Thank You, Jay
Back in the day Hay Ride
What if the people who control NASCAR held an old school race? Keeping all the safety aspects of the new cars but build a car like what the old school guys had to use back in the day. Replace IROC with OLDROC. Why not let the new up and comers see what it was like. There are a few old school guys that can relate,very few. NASCAR and all their money could do this and still have enough money left over to buy hot dogs and milk to feed the kids.
I think it would be an incredible media event and put the past in with the future. Picture this, some driver in his early twenties driving a ,77 to 84 NASCAR ride running with the NASCAR seniors. Maybe I have over dosed on Geritol but it sounds like it would be a good mid season brake and a hell of a lot fun. Regards mbzfxr@cox.net
heck, it wouldn't take much:
heck, it wouldn't take much: just unhook the power steering and see what these guys can do. lmao! when nascar okayed power steering it changed the sport.
BETTER TRACK DESIGN
Isn't it about time for a better race track design? Too many cautions and too many green flag commercials without utilizing technology such as used by indy car racing allowing the viewer to monitor the race while commercials are being aired, and too many pit stops in general are the biggest roadblocks to building a larger fan base. They should consider developing a new race track design like an over-under super 8 speedway with safer barriers flaring into the underpass entrance. A track such as this would promote higher speeds (probably 220+mph on a 2 to 2 1/2 mile track) and more even tire wear. Also the safer this sport is the better so come on guys, isn't it about time to copy indy car technology and eliminate the jack man???? Just one more suggestion on this track design -- grooved concrete track much like freeways in a number of US cities so it would take more than a light shower to postpone or cancel a race.
okay, i'm intrigued. what
okay, i'm intrigued. what exactly are you talking about? give me some specifics. i agree tv doesnt have a clue about how to cover a race. surprising, since mike well, the tnt guy, is the best i've ever seen. and what do you think about 200 at daytona next february? i think that might be good for the sport. 195...200...what's the difference...if they're going 205 into the first turn at california and michigan anyway....the jackman? well, i'm old school; that's okay for me. and groove concrete...well, they've got that at indy, and its so abrasive they can hardly build a tire for it. but maybe you've got something about rain. nascar needs a better rain game plan....other than those zany rain tires....
oh, and one other
oh, and one other thing....i'm okay with anons....but just let me know where you're calling from. maybe my sponsors will be interested (and good ad space is still available on mikemulhern.net! lol -- we're not disney/abc or fox...we need all the help we can get).
thanks.
Dual Fuel Take-up Lines?
Does Nascar have a prohibition against having an additional fuel take-up line on the fuel cell? If not, I suggest that a second fuel take-up line be installed on the left side of the cell. It makes sense to have the primary take-up line on the right side, but for those occasions when the cars are running under caution with low fuel, it seems it would be a worthwhile investment to have another take-up line on the left side. Harold Fuller
rear wing spoiler
instead of changing back to the old style spoiler why not make the wing hinged in the front so when the car goes backwards it would release with a pre loaded latch that releases when there is a certain amount of uplift on the wing and flip forward thus reversing its lift of the rear of the car and actually force the rear down. and when the car pits just flip it back and latch it back down. this could be easily designed without being a rocket scientist. so here ryan newman heres your engineering solution to your problen with rear car lift in reverse. i like the wing better than a fixed spoiler myself.
Restrictor Plate Racing
I think the new rules that were in place at Talladega failed the drivers, the TV audience and the fans in the stands. It was boring. I have a suggestion that is a little on the aggressive side of a fix but I truly believe this to be the best fix for getting rid of restrictor plate racing.
On the back stretch at Daytona and Talladega, put in a chicane that will slow the cars to approximately pit road speed. Take the restrictor plate off and let them have at it. Cost is minimal and it should be a much more entertaining race for everyone. I'm sure the driver's would welcome it as it has to be boring for them driving around in a 190 mph parade. It would offer true passing opportunities by out-breaking an opponent and will slow the cars enough that the overall lap speed would be reduced significantly.
Restrictor plate racing is horrible. Something has to be done to get rid of the restrictor plates and chicanes are a viable option in my opinion.
suggestions
how about a few more road course races, i know that a bunch of the more seasoned fans dont like the road races, but you have to give up some respect for the drivers when they spend all year turning left, and then twice a year they turn right and left, woah! how about road america, or road atlanta, sebring, or the infield of daytona would be effin awesome! i wish there were a way to get this all the way to mike helton to review and atleast think about, i know dale sr. would be all for it. if its a race and someone thinks they are better than dale sr. i know he'd be there to give anyone a run for their money. plus it shakes things up a bit in the points. people dont finish where they normally would if suppose they were on a 1.5 mile oval as apposed to being on a 12-15 turn track. this could even bring in more fans, which would be more money. money for sponsors, money for broadcasters, money for nascar, money for mechandisers. money money money, it could even convince a few more of the indy or f1 guys, and girls to convert over to nascar. race in japan again, that was cool that one year they did it, i think jr. n sr. finsihed one two didnt they? i dunno i could be wrong but i know sr. won.
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